Binary Theory

Binary Theory. The term salt was originally given to sea-salt only, and it was afterwards extended to many other substances resembling it more or less in taste and other characteristics. When it was found that bases and acids by their interaction gave rise to salts, different speculations regarding the nature of these compounds were brought forward. Berzelius stated that all compounds consisted of two parts, one electro-negative, the other electro-positive. In the case of salts of oxyacids, he regarded the two parts as Na2O electro-positive, and S03 electronegative, i.e. an electro-positive basic oxide and an electro-negative acid oxide. Davy, however, regarded all salts as compounds of a metal with an acid radical which might be an element or a group of elements. Thus in the salt above, Na2S04 the two component parts would, according to Davy's view, be Na2, and S04. This was called the Binary Theory of Salts, which was supported by many contemporary chemists, and afterwards by Liebig, Daniell, and Miller.